Thursday, June 21, 2007

Priest and Companion Missing

Police in Portland, Ore., asked for the public's help Wednesday in finding a Jesuit priest from Orange, Calif., and a traveling companion from Alameda County who were last seen while on vacation two weeks ago.Neither the Rev. David Schwartz, 52, an associate director at the Loyola Institute for Spirituality, nor Cheryl Gibbs, 61, described as friends for 20 years, returned to their respective workplaces on Monday, triggering notice to police, said Portland police Sgt. Brian Schmautz.Police went to a hotel on Thursday where the two were last seen on June 7 and searched. Schmautz did not disclose the name of the hotel.

The two are described as avid hikers and lovers of the outdoors.

"Most of the property was in the room," Schmautz said. The types of things that were taken were those for a day hike, including wallets and a maroon four-door 2005 Toyota Corolla with the California license plate No. 5MKN560, Schmautz said.

There was no evidence of foul play, but "what we believe is they found themselves in trouble" while on a day hike outside of Portland, Schmautz said.